With Stars in Her Eyes Quotes

“He put a hand on both of my shoulders to stop me from my furious movement. He'd done this when we were kids too and I needed a pep talk. It was like a coach trying to refocus a star player. He starts with the look-me-in-the-eyes gesture, then takes a deep breath. 'You got this, kid. You did not scare her off. She's going to be inside and waiting. We're going to talk about the banter and discuss the best plot points and the Regency-era hot-duchess-on-lady-in-waiting sex, and then you're going to go over to her house and-'
'I'm literally begging you not to finish that sentence.' I exhaled. 'But okay. I can do this.'
'You sure can.' He released my shoulders, and if I were a dude, I was pretty sure he would have smacked my ass and pushed me onto the field to score a touchdown.”
― Andie Burke, With Stars in Her Eyes

“I rested my chin on my hand with my elbow propped on the Squid counter, sighing heavily as the door swung closed with Courtney on the other side. Courtney was headed back to the bookstore, carrying an empty thermos of the soup we had just spent forty-five minutes sharing during our lunch together.
I sunk my teeth into my lower lip to keep every bit of giddiness out of my expression. Because I shouldn't still have butterflies every time. We had done this nearly every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for weeks. We had never formally planned it. It somehow made the entire thing more exciting.”
― Andie Burke, With Stars in Her Eyes

“The months' worth of dust coating every key and string of my instruments sent a pang through my chest.
In the safe dimness of this room, I could admit I was afraid.
What if I just couldn't do it?
What if I sat down to play and what I had before was gone?
Somehow the questions- the uncertainty- were easier than trying and failing.”
― Andie Burke, With Stars in Her Eyes

“Who was she?
I could ask. I could speak. It wasn't like me to be struck into silence by anything. But something kept my mouth from opening. I didn't have to see my reflection to know I was smiling now.
It was like a scene from a movie. The kind with an epic soundtrack playing in the background.
Oh... wait... there was an epic soundtrack playing in the background. That part wasn't my overactive imagination.
I walked forward, aiming my steps toward the checkout desk at the center of the shop but keeping my eyes on the woman in the back as if hypnotized. She was climbing up one of the library ladders now. Her walnut-blond pixie cut glowed as she moved closer to the twinkle lights draping over the shelves. Every hand movement was graceful. Every step seemed sure-footed. She wasn't dancing, but it was as if she was always aware of the music, feeling the nuances within every note. She paused her shelving at a particularly beautiful strings part, and her fingers made a few small movements before curling into a tight fist.
What was she thinking?
She climbed back down and stood in the center of that open space. The one brighter light wreathed her face and cast her features in shadow. I wished for my camera to capture the moment, but the only cameras I had in Kansas were back at Marshall's.”
― Andie Burke, With Stars in Her Eyes